Snow removal attachment for sweeping machines



M. W. LUTZ Jan. 25, 1966 SNOW REMOVAL ATTACHMENT FOR SWEEPING MACHINES I4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26 1963 2 INVENTOR.

MAC W LU'TZ BY BM WqZMM ATTORNEYS Jan. 25, 1966 M. w. LUTZ SNOW REMOVALATTACHMENT FOR SWEEPING MACHINES Filed June 26, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet FIG.3

INVENTOR. M A C W. L uT'z ATTORNEYS SNOW REMOVAL ATTACHMENT FOR SWEEPINGMACHINES Filed June 26 1963 M. W. LUTZ Jan. 25, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5FIG. 6

INVENTOR. W L uTZ 5 QM W gum ATTORNEYS Jan. 25, 1966 M. w. LUTZ SNOWREMOVAL ATTACHMENT FOR SWEEPING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 261963 FIG. 7

FIG. 8

INVENTOR. MAE lA/ Lurz ATTORNEYS Unitecl States Patent C) i Claims. (Cl.37--50) The present invention has relation to self-propelled sweepingequipment and more particularly to snow removal attachments which can beplaced on self-propelled sweeping equipment and utilized for removingsnow.

With the advent of self-propelled sweeping equipment, companies havefound they have a substantial investment in such equipment. The moreuses the basic unit of the sweeper can be put to, maximizes the returnfrom this investment.

In colder portions of our country, where snow falls during the wintertime, most industries and businesses which need self-propelled sweepingequipment also have walks, driveways, parking lots and loading dockswhich must be cleared of snow. The attachments of the present inventionpermit utilization of the self-propelled sweeping unit .to be convertedinto an item of snow removal equipment. The sweeping broom is leftintact on the selfpropelled sweeper and can be utilized for clearingresidual snow left by the snow removal attachments, if desired. In thisway the bulk of the snow can be removed with the mechanical equipmentand the remainder swept out of the way.

The self-propelled sweeper, which mounts the snow removal attachment,has a pair of forwardly disposed arms which fit onto provided attachmentlugs on the snow removal equipment and in this manner the snow removalequipment is easily attached to the sweeper. The arms are controlled bya hydraulic cylinder which permits the attachments to be raised orlowered as desired.

The attachments are easily installed, quickly removed and operate veryefiiciently. As shown, the attachment includes a blade and a rotarysnowplow, each of which is adapted to do a particular type of job ofsnow removal.

It is an object of the present invention to present snow removalattachments for mounting onto the front of a selfpropelled powersweeper.

It is a further object of the present invention to present snow removalattachments which can be utilized at the same time the main broom forthe sweeper is operating.

It is a still further object of the present invention to present snowremoval attachments which are easily attached to existing support armson a power sweeper unit.

It is a still further object of the present invention to present aself-propelled power sweeper which has snow removal equipment mounted onthe front thereof and which utilizes existing hydraulic power to raiseand lower the snow removal equipment.

Other and further objects are those inherent in the invention hereinillustrated, described and claimed and will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this inventionthen comprises features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth indetail certain illustrative embodiments o-f the invention, these beingindicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which theprinciples of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated by reference to the drawings in whichcorresponding numerals refer to the same parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a power sweeping machine having asnow removal blade attached thereto.

3,23%,645 Patented Jan. 25, 1966 r ECG FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rearperspective view of the snow removal blade pictured in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the snow removal machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a snow removal machine madeaccording to a second form of the present invention showing a rotarysnowplow mounted on the power sweeping machine;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the from the powersweeping machine and with drive parts removed for the sake of clarity.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4 and the numerals of reference thereon, apowered, self-propelled sweeping ma chine is illustrated generally at15. The machine is mounted on wheels 16, 16 that are powered throughsuitable mechanism from a motor 17 mounted on the top of a main frame18.

A steering wheel 19 is utilized by an operator sitting in a seat 29 tosteer the vehicle in a conventional manner. A transverse sweeping rush21 is rotatably mounted adjacent the intermediate sections of the powersweeper and engages a surface 22 to remove material therefrom. Thesweeping brush can be powered in any desired manner, for example, achain and sprocket illustrated in dotted lines at 23. The wheels can bepowered to move the sweeping machine in direction as indicated by arrow26'.

A pair of support arms 27, 2'7 are mounted onto a rock shaft 28 which ispivotally mounted on the frame of the sweeping machine 15. The rockshaft 28 can be pivoted about its axis through the operation of ahydraulic cylinder 29 which is connected as at 39 to the main frame ofthe sweeping machine and which has a longitudinally extendable rod 31that is connected as at 32 to a lever 33 drivably mounted onto rockshaft 2-8. The cylinder 29 is powered from a source of fluid underpressure (not shown) and is controlled through a control lever 34mounted onto the main frame and positioned so that the operator can useit. By directing fluid under pressure to cylinder 34 the lift arms 27,27 can be raised or lowered in directions as indicated by double arrow33.

Typical mechanism for driving the broom is more fully explained in theco-pending application of Joseph G. Kasper, Serial No. 205,243, filedJune 26, 1962. Typical propulsion mechanism for the sweeper and controlmechanism for the arms is shown more fully in the application of Mac W,Lutz, Serial No. 137,863, filed September 13, 1961.

The lift arms 27, 27 normally support a receptacle and filter system forcatching dust and debris swept thereinto by brush 21. However, in thisinvention the recep tacle is removed and a snow removal tool illustratedgenerally at 40 is installed thereon. In the first form of the inventionthe snow removal tool is constituted as a snow blade 41 which has ablade cutting edge element 42 that engages the surface 22. As shown inFIG. 1 the blade 41 has a curved forward surface 43 which can engage apile of snow 44 on the ground surface 22 and push it forwardly as thepower sweeping machine is driven forwardly. The blade can be positionedat an angle with respect to the direction of travel, as will be morefully explained later.

The blade 41 has a pair of upright support bars 45, 45 mounted to theback side thereof and a transverse connecting bar 46 extending betweenthe upright bars. A mounting frame assembly 37 is attached to theupright bars 45, 45 through pins 48, 4%. The mounting frame assembly 47includes a transverse attachment member 50 and a rearwardly extendingsubstantially semi-circular locking bar 51. The locking bar 51 isfixedly attached to the attachment member 50. A cross mem ber 52 isfixedly attached to the top surface of the lock ing member 51 andextends in a chord line thereto. A pair of braces 53, 53 are mounted asat 54, 54 to the cross member 52 and extend upwardly and are mounted asat 55, 55 to the rear of the blade 41. The braces 53, 53 hold the bladein a fixed position about its longitudinal axis and prevent it frompivoting about pins 48, 43. The blade also has a pair of guide shoes 56,56 which are welded to substantially vertical shafts '7, 57 that arerotatably mounted in housings 58, 58 which in turn are fixedly mountedto the blade. The shoes are disc-shaped and will prevent the blade edgemember 42 from di ging into the surface 22. The shoes will provideguiding regardless of the position of the blade and whether or not themachine is turning.

An attachment frame assembly 61 is utilized to attach the blade and itsmounting frame assembly to the power sweeper. The attachment frameassembly 61 comprises a pair of plate members 62, 62" which are joinedtogether with a cross brace 63 and also a pair of braces 64, 64 thatform an A frame. The braces 64, 64 are welded or otherwise fixedlysecured to a tongue 65 which extends rearwardly from the junctionbetween the braces 64, 6 2 and attaches to cross brace 63 as at 66. Thetongue 65 extends forwardly from the junction with forward braces 64, 64and is pivotally mounted as at 67 to the attachment member 519 of theblade. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the mounting frame assembly ispositioned above the attachment frame assembly.

The locking bar 51 is positioned over the tongue 65 and extendsunderneath a guide 68 attached to the tongue. A cross bar 69 extendsbetween the forwardly directed braces 64, 64 and is attached to thetongue 65 and the guide 63.

A locking pin 71 is positioned through a provided opening in guide 68and in cross bar 69 and also protrudes through provided openings inlocking bar 51. The locking bar 51 is provided with a plurality ofopenings 72 spaced therearound. By releasing the pin 71 and pivoting theblade 41 about pivot 67 the angular position of the blade with respectto the direction of travel can be changed. The blade can be adjusted toany angle in either direction as desired, within predetermind limits.

A pair of auxiliary braces 73, 73 are also provided and extend from theforwardly directing braces 64, 64 back to the side plates 62, 62,

As can be seen the side plates 62, 62 have lugs 74, 74 fixedly attachedthereon. The lugs 74, 74 fit within provided notches 75, 75 at the outerends of arms 27. The upper ends 76 of the side plates 62 are offsetinwardly toward each other as can be seen in FIG. 4. A bolt 77 passesthrough 21 provided slot 79 in the upper portion 76 of the plate 62 andthrough a provided hole in the arms 27, 27 and the plates and arms arefixedly attached together. A spacer 73, 78 is positioned between each ofthe arms and its associated upper portion 76 of the side plates 62. Inthis way the offset portions can be clamped tightly against the arms.The slot at the upper end permits adjustment of the blades so that itcan be tilted to obtain the correct angle of the cutting edge.

The vertical adjustment of the blade can be controlled through operationof the lever 34 and the hydraulic cylinder 29. Angular adjustment can becontrolled by removing pin 71 and rotating the blade about its pivot 67between tongue 65 and mounting member 51). The angular position can beadjusted in predetermined increments as desired.

If desired, the braces 53, 53 can be replaced with springs so that theblade will give slightly if the blade edge member hits an obstructionduring the plowing operation.

The unit can be operated by the power sweeper and used to clear walks,driveways, parking areas or whatever needs to be cleared of snow. Thebrush 21 can be operated at the same time as the snow removal so thatthe heaviest portions of the snow will be scraped away or windrowed bythe blade and the brush will remove the final coat on the surface 22'.The brush will throw the snow ahead of it and when the end of the runhas been reached, or when accumulation behind the blade becomes large,the blade can be raised to clear the pile of snow, and the machinebacked up to pick up accumulatlon when the blade is dropped again.Ifdesired, the blade can be positioned at an angle with respect to thedirection of travel of the machine and leave a Windrow. The windrowcould then be picked upon the next round and in this way the parking lotcan be cleared of snow and all the snow thoroughly removed.

Second form of invention In the second form of the invention the snowremoval attachment is comprised as a rotary snowplow illustratedgenerally at 90. The power sweeping machine 15 is the same and utilizesthe same arms 27 and lifting mechanism as before. Brush 21 is likewisedriven the same as before.

The rotary snowplow comprises a housing 91 having a snow feeding augerassembly 92 rotatably mounted therein. The auger assembly includes acenter shaft 93 mounted at opposite ends thereof in suitable hearings inend plates 94, 94 of the housing. The shaft 93 has hitedly attachedauger flights 95 attached thereto which feed the snow into a centerblower 96 which in turn discharges the snow out through a duct 97 and acurved discharge chute 98. The chute 93 is rotatably mounted about theduct 97 through suitable brackets 101.-

The rotary snowplow attachment 90 is carried by the arms 27, 27. Thehousing 91 has a transversely extending mounting brackets 102 attachedto the rear surface thereof.

A pair of arms 103, 103 are attached to the mounting bracket and extendrearwardly therefrom. The arms 1113 have lugs 194, 104thereon which fitwithin the notches 75 on the lift arms 27. The arms 103, 103 have upperoffset portions 105, 105 anda bolt 106 is utilized for attaching theseoffset portions to the lift arms 27. Spacers or stops 78 are alsoprovided on lift arms 27 as in the previous form of the invention.

The arms 103 are thus fixedly attached to lift arms 27. The transversebracket 102 also has a motor mounting plate 107 attached thereto. Themotor mounting plate is further placed back to arms 10'3, 10$ with aU-shaped brace 108.

An auxiliary motor 111 ismounted on motor bracket 107 and has a drivenpowered output shaft 112. The output shaft 112 has a sheave 113 drivablymounted thereon. A belt 114 extends up to a driven sheave 115 which isdrivably mounted onto a jack shaft 116. The jack shaft 116 is rotatablymounted on a bracket 117 and a rearwardly extending portion 118 of theadjacent end plate 94. A. sprocket 121 .is mounted onto jack shaft 116adjacent portion 118 and a drive chain 122 is driven by the sprocket 121and drives a sprocket 123 that is drivably mounted onto shaft 93 for thesnow feeding auger. The motor 111 can have a conventional clutchmechanism mounted thereon so that the snow feeding auger can be engagedand disengaged even with the motor running. The snow feeding auger orrotary snowplow attachment is driven through the auxiliary motor 111 andthe forward propulsion is through the drive system of the sweepingmachine 15. merit also has guide shoes 124, 124 mounted to verticalshafts 125, 125. The guide shoes 124 aid in keeping a cutting element 99attached to the 'bottom forward The rotary snowplow attach-' edge of thehousing 91 spaced the correct distance above the surface 22 that isbeing cleared of snow. A rock guard 100 is provided on the cut-tingelement ahead of the fan to protect it.

As in the first form of the invention the rotary broom 21 can be drivenat the same time that the machine is moving forwardly and that therotary snowplow is working. In this way, the plow can blow the snowthrough chute 98 and the broom 21 can sweep away the residue left by therotary snowplow. The snowplow can be raised and lowered throughactuation of cylinder 29 moving lift arms 27 to any desired height. Asafety chain 126 is provided between each of the arms 103, 103 andextends back to the frame of the power sweeper to prevent the unit frombeing lifted excessively high.

Thus it can be seen through the use of mechanical snow removalattachments on a power sweeper, snow can be removed expeditiously andcompletely from any desired surface. The units are quick to attach uponremoval of the normal receptacles for catching dust from the broom 21and the broom 21 will continue to function to clean the surface overwhich the machine is traveling.

Units utilizing the blade attachment have been on erated to removematerial from the holds of ships. The blade will push the major portionof the material into a windrow and the brush will remove the remainingmaterial. The brush can be lifted at the end of the run to leave thematerial pushed ahead of it. Mechanism for raising and lowering a brushsuch as that shown herein is more fully illustrated typically in theapplications of Joseph G. Kasper and the application of Mac W. Lutz.Previously mentioned, both of these applications are assigned to thesame assignee as this application.

As many widely varying and apparently different modifications can bemade without departing from the spirit of this invention, the inventionis limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a self-propelled power sweeper having a mainframe, means for moving said power sweeper and frame along a supportingsurface, a powered rotary brush mounted on said frame and extendinggenerally transverse to the direction of movement of said frame, saidbrush being mounted between the front and rear portions of said frame,of: a pair of arms mounted adjacent the forward portions of said frame,said arms being movable between raised and lowered positions, anattachment frame mounted between said arms, said attachment frameincluding a pair of lugs that fit within a provided notch on each ofsaid arms, slotted adjustment means at the upper end of said attachmentframe adjustably connecting said frame and said arms for limited pivotalmovement of the frame about the lugs with respect to the arms, powermeans for moving said arms between their raised and lowered positions,and a mechanical snow removal implement mounted on said attachment frameand extending forwardly from said main frame, said mechanical snowremoval implement being adapted to clear a path of snow through whichsaid power sweeping machine may move.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said snow removalimplement is a blade, said attachment frame mounted on said arms havinga tongue for pivotally mounting said blade about a substantially uprightaxis,

6 and means on said blade cooperating with mounting means on said frameto permit angular adjustment of said blade with respect to the directionof travel of the powered sweeping machine.

3. The combination with a self-propelled power sweeper having a mainframe, means for moving said power sweeper and frame along a supportingsurface, a powered rotary brush mounted on said frame and extendinggenerally transverse to the direction of movement of said frame, saidbroom being mounted between the front and rear portions of said frame,of a pair of arms mounted adjacent the forward portions of said frame,said arms being movable between raised and lowered positions, anattachment frame mounted between said arms, said attachment frameincluding a pair of lugs that fit within a provided notch on each end ofsaid arms, a pair of adjustment slots at the upper ends of said frame, apair of bolts, one passing through each adjustment slot and fasteningsaid frame to said arms, power means for moving said arms bet-ween theirraised and lowered positions, a transverse blade member, a mountingframe on rear portions of said blade, said mounting frame beingpivotally mounted to said attachment frame about an upright axis, andreleasable means cooperating between said mounting frame and saidattachment frame to permit positioning of said blade at an acute anglewith respect to the axis normal to the direction of travel of saidsweeping machine and holding said blade at said acute angle.

4. The combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said releasable meansfor positioning said blade at an angle with respect to the direction oftravel of said frame includes an arcuate locking bar on said mountingframe, and a guide on said attachment frame positioned adjacent saidarcuate locking bar, said guide having an opening therethrough, alocking pin in said opening in said guide, said arcuate locking barhaving a plurality of openings therethrough, each positioned sothat itis aligned with the opening of the guide as the blade is positioned atdifierent angles with respect to the direction of travel of said frame.

5. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein the snow removalimplement is a rotary snow plow.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,634 11/1884Drake 3741 530,739 12/1894 Wood 3721 1,594,234 7/1926 Aiken 37-421,652,603 12/ 1927 Born 37-36 2,094,515 9/ 1937 Abbe 37-42 2,175,54210/1939 Robarge 37-43 2,248,012 7/ 1941 Phillips 1582 2,697,846 12/1954Wilcox 15-83 2,711,597 6/ 1955 Werner 37-42 2,807,991 10/ 1957 Sawyer i-172-272 2,829,391 4/ 1958 Swanson 1534O 3,115,261 12/1963 Antolini37-117.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 321,425 1/1957 Switzerland.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Examiner.

G. T. MOLLER, Assistant Examiner.

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A SELF-PROPELLED POWER SWEEPER HAVING A MAINFRAME, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID POWER SWEEPER AND FRAME ALONG A SUPPORTINGSURFACE, A POWERED ROTARY BRUSH MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND EXTENDINGGENERALLY TRANSVERSE TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAME, SAIDBRUSH BEING MOUNTED BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME,OF: A PAIR OF ARMS MOUNTED ADJACENT THE FORWARD PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME,SAID ARMS BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN RAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS, ANATTACHMENT FRAME MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID ARMS, SAID ATTACHMENT FRAMEINCLUDING A PAIR OF LUGS THAT FIT WITHIN A PROVIDED NOTCH ON EACH OFSAID ARMS, SLOTTED ADJUSTMENT MEANS AT THE UPPER END OF SAID ATTACHMENTFRAME ADJUSTABLY CONNECTING SAID FRAME AND SAID ARMS FOR LIMITED PIVOTALMOVEMENT OF THE FRAME ABOUT THE LUGS WITH RESPECT TO THE ARMS, POWERMEANS FOR MOVING SAID ARMS BETWEEN THEIR